CVE-2017-0932 in EdgeOS
Summary
by MITRE
Ubiquiti Networks EdgeOS version 1.9.1.1 and prior suffer from an Improper Privilege Management vulnerability due to the lack of validation on the input of the Feature functionality. An attacker with access to an operator (read-only) account and ssh connection to the devices could escalate privileges to admin (root) access in the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0932 represents a critical improper privilege management flaw within Ubiquiti Networks EdgeOS firmware versions 1.9.1.1 and earlier. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation within the Feature functionality implementation, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that directly undermines the system's security model. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern user access levels within the EdgeOS environment.
The technical flaw manifests through the absence of proper input sanitization and validation checks when processing feature-related commands or parameters. When an operator-level user with read-only privileges establishes an SSH connection to the device, the system fails to adequately verify the legitimacy of commands attempting to elevate privileges. This validation gap allows malicious input to bypass normal access controls and execute administrative functions without proper authentication. The vulnerability operates at the application level and leverages the trust model inherent in the device's command processing architecture.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to network infrastructure security as it enables attackers to gain complete administrative control of affected devices with minimal prerequisites. An attacker requires only basic network access and a legitimate operator account, which is often less strictly protected than administrative credentials. Once exploited, the privilege escalation provides full root access to the system, enabling complete system compromise, data exfiltration, configuration changes, and potential lateral movement within the network. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected network infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management, which specifically addresses issues where software fails to properly enforce access controls for different user roles. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a privilege escalation technique categorized under T1068, which involves using elevated privileges to gain access to additional systems or resources. Organizations utilizing Ubiquiti EdgeOS devices should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates to versions 1.9.2 or later, which address the input validation gaps. Network segmentation and strict access control policies should be enforced to limit SSH access to trusted administrative users only. Additionally, monitoring for unusual command execution patterns and implementing privileged access management solutions can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in network device firmware to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation attacks.